Category Archives: Social & Economic Affairs

In 1957 the six founding nations of the European Economic Community set out to create a common market with a common competition and trade policy. This project remains central to the European Union.
Under the terms of the Maastricht Treaty a monetary union dimension was added to the project. Today, the Treaty of the European Union requires in art 3,3 the EU to become “a highly competitive social market economy”.
COMECE has welcomed the inclusion of this goal and recommended balancing responsibility and solidarity in the Euro zone.
The COMECE Secretariat follows socio-ethical questions raised by the process of European integration in the field of social and economic policy.
COMECE is assisted in this mission by a Commission on Social Affairs.
Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

News

Towards a Europe of greater fraternity and solidarity

Europe is a community of life and destiny. Facing the social crisis, Christians have all the tools at their disposal to fashion a Europe of greater fraternity and solidarity that puts people at the heart of its project. The current crisis offers Christians an opportunity to engage in innovative and decided ways for a Europe of solidarity and peace. This is the feeling that emerges … Continue reading »

Education & Culture, Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs, Youth policies

News

Youth Policies, Education and unemployment. The young claim: ‘we are the solution !’

Young people have great expectations where the EU decisions makers are concerned, especially after the promises of the 28 EU Heads of States to put together an EU youth employment package. But is this a reliable long term solution to youth unemployment? Young people want the EU to tackle unemployment and education not FOR them but WITH them because they see themselves as the solution … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

Press Release

Europe Needs a Social Dimension –Church Leaders Tell Irish EU Presidency – Joint Irish Council of Churches-CEC-COMECE Press release

European economic governance needs to be balanced by a social dimension, according to Churches in Europe. At a meeting with the Irish EU Presidency in Dublin this morning (Friday March 8), they questioned the sense in discussing economic austerity without including measures for social cohesion. Efforts aimed at the eradication of structural poverty and inequality should all be considered when measuring economic progress, they maintained. … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

News

Intergenerational Solidarity deserves full support by the EU and Member States in order to overcome the economic and demographic crises

Intergenerational Solidarity was at the heart of this year’s annual summit meeting of European Faith leaders with the Presidents of the EU Institutions. This was the eighth such high-level meeting which took place at the invitation of President José Manuel Barroso and was co-chaired by Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council and László Surján, Vice-President of the European Parliament. The European Commission maintains … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

Press Release

Our common responsibility for tomorrow’s world Statement of the President of COMECE to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) Rio +20

Twenty years after the first “Earth Summit” in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, the Heads of State and Government meet in June 2012 again in Rio for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD). With this meeting, countless people are expecting that concrete measures are taken on the path to a more equitable and sustainable development. In a world where millions of people lack … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

Press Release

Towards a new economic model, based on solidarity and responsibility: The European Social Market Economy

In response to the economic and financial crisis currently hitting Europe, the COMECE Bishops propose that the Common Market evolves towards the concept of a Social Market Economy in order for the EU to become a viable ‘Community of Solidarity and Responsibility’. By means of this Statement, which will be unveiled on 12 January 2012 in Brussels, the Bishops of the Commission of the Bishops’ … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

Event

Invitation “Laborem exercens” Conference

“Human work is a key, probably the essential key, to the whole social question, if we try to see that question really from the point of view of man’s good. And if the social question (…) must be sought in the direction of “making life more human”, then the key, namely human work, acquires fundamental and decisive importance.” Laborem exercens On the occasion of the … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

Event

Invitation Sunday protection Conference

COMECE is a supporter of the European Sunday Alliance, a network of national Sunday Alliances, trade unions, civil society organizations and religious communities committed to raise awareness of the unique value of synchronised free time for our European societies. In the context of the revision of the Working Time Directive, the European Sunday Alliance intends to highlight the “added value” of the synchronisation of free … Continue reading »